Music City Minute

Lainey Wilson is returning to host the 60th Annual CMA Awards, marking her third straight year at the helm of Country Music's Biggest Night. The show airs live November 18 from Nashville's Bridgestone Arena on ABC, Disney+ and streams the next day on Hulu. The 2026 nominations are led by Ella Langley with nine nods, followed by Miranda Lambert with seven and Kacey Musgraves with five. Oh yeah, there is also that teeny-tiny 98.5 KYGO nomination for Major Market Radio Station of the Year too. With the CMAs celebrating 60 years and coming just months after Dolly Parton's passing, many fans are expecting a special tribute to one of country music's most beloved legends. And speaking of Saint Dolly, her first posthumous release, "Bound to Ride," is out now. The song teams Dolly Parton with the all-female supergroup First Ladies of Bluegrass and appears on the tribute album "Where the Soul Never Dies: Celebrating 80 Years of The Stanley Brothers," due out October 16.

 

I'm Sheena, and that's your Music City Minute.

Y’all, grab some nappies and a bottle, because a new little country cutie just made her debut! On September 1, Mitchell Tenpenny and Meghan Patrick welcomed their first child together, a 5 lbs. 12 oz. baby girl named Ember James Tempany. Mitchell and Meghan are already calling her their “sweet Emmy girl,” and honestly, that is just about as adorable as it gets. Fans first found out Meghan was pregnant back in March, when the couple said they had been blessed with “the greatest gift of all.” As her due date got closer, Meghan stepped away from touring for the rest of the year so she could focus on family, health and getting ready for their bundle of joy. Adorably, Meghan admits that even while nesting, her creativity never went on bedrest. In fact, the sweet new season inspired her song, "Your Daddy's Smile," which offers fans a glimpse into all the love and excitement leading up to Ember's arrival. While Papa T still has a slew of shows on his fall calendar, Mama T's returned to the stage has not been announced just yet. For now, the family of three is soaking up all the newborn snuggles, sleepy mornings and those first unforgettable moments at home.

 

I’m Sheena, and that’s your Music City Minute.

After the Opry shared a video of the 24-year-old singer performing her viral hit "Boston" backstage for St. Jude patients, some commenters took aim at Lefty's success, pointing to her family's wealth and the ongoing comparisons between "Boston" and Noah Kahan's "Stick Season." Ballerini jumped into the comments to defend the newcomer, reminding fans that the Grand Ole Opry has always been about celebrating all kinds of country music and the artists who connect with audiences through it. She also stressed that the video showed Lefty taking time to sing for St. Jude kids, calling the moment something worth celebrating, not criticizing. Lefty has previously addressed the similarities between "Boston" and Kahan's song, explaining that she chose to give Kahan a retroactive songwriting credit after the resemblance was brought to her attention. No matter where fans stand on the debate, one thing is certain: Stella Lefty's star continues to rise. Colorado fans will get a chance to see her live when she brings her tour to Denver's Fillmore Auditorium on February 13, 2027.

 

I'm Sheena, and that's your Music City Minute.

Here is a made-in-Wyoming music moment: Sheridan native and country star Ian Munsick has teamed up with Cheyenne native and recent University of Wyoming graduate Jacob Walker for a special down-home collaboration. When Munsick’s team asked UW’s Western Thunder Marching Band to perform his song “Love Is Blind,” Walker answered the call to create the arrangement. Boy howdy, it was a perfect fit. Walker spent four years with Western Thunder, earned degrees in music education and music performance this spring, and started arranging marching-band music while he was a UW student. The two Wyoming musicians finally met after the band performed the song in late August, giving Munsick a chance to hear Walker’s work and personally compliment the arrangement. Looking back, Munsick admits his journey from a wide-eyed buckaroo watching UW football games, to hearing his music played by the Western Thunder Marching Band, and the honor of receiving an official Western Thunder letter jacket is the ultimate full-circle moment.

 

I'm Sheena, and that's your Music City Minute.

Country music star Chayce Beckham and his wife, Ashley Britt, had no idea how quickly life would change less than a year into their marriage. Their family recently grew by ten after Ashley rescued a dog wandering near their home about four months ago. A veterinary exam revealed that the dog, Sundae, was pregnant, and within days she delivered nine puppies — turning the Beckhams’ once-quiet house into a chaotic canine corral. Inevitably, the fast-growing pups now need loving homes. Although Chayce says they are “so frickin’ cute,” he and Ashley cannot realistically keep all nine while also hoping to grow their own family. Nevertheless, the country couple will remain dedicated puppy parents to the rambunctious bunch until they are adopted. By the way, Mama Sundae is doing great.

 

I’m Sheena, and that’s your Music City Minute.

Do you remember Ole Hank Jr. singing about country folks who raise their young’uns to live off the land, say grace and ma’am? Well, I’d say Riley Green is most certainly one of those polite, country boys (who can survive), described in the song. In fact, I believe that home training helps Green maintain refinement around questionable company. No doubt the CMA winner offered up praise for those frilly knickers missing his face. Now, in a perfect world, the "Worst Way" singer would prefer to play shows with zero aerial artifacts and zero fights. However, weirdly, both of those scenarios have taught the singer what some may consider *important* lessons. For example, Green’s remarks toward all the liberally launched lingerie he gets, Green says: “We were gonna donate them to wherever you donate bras to. I guess because, what I learned was…there was like people commenting…saying they were really expensive. See, I didn’t know that!” Next, Mr. Duckman shares his observations regarding fights: “I’ve seen a lot of extensions go missing…and they got the wrong girl’s hair when they’re putting it back in…it’s a whole thing.” “Well, I’m learning, I’m learning on the road…it's like, I can work at Ulta now!” Mercy sakes, I bet that itty bitty, barefoot, Alabama farm boy never dreamed of earning a bachelor's degree in subjects such as Performance Arts 101: A Master Class in Touring.

 

I’m Sheena, and that’s your Music City Minute.

I'm Sheena, and that's your Music City Minute.

Over the last six years or so, Carly Pearce has been on a journey of self discovery, which has taught her how to thrive mentally, physically and emotionally. Not only that, the songstress has developed a keen ability to recognize red flags and the confidence to stand her ground – especially when it comes to her kids...I mean dogs, Johnny and June. While discussing the inspiration behind her new album, "Honest Woman," one particular song, "He Don’t Like My Dogs," and its accompanying antidote really stood out above the rest. “I was in a relationship where someone was not nice to Johnny and that was it. Johnny and I talked and we kicked him out of the family,” said the Grammy winner before declaring, “And my favorite thing about this is he will know exactly that this song is about him when he hears it.” Hot dang! How much do we respect Carly Pearce’s tenacity right now? Furthermore, the ex’s egregious behavior toward Pearce and her pup proves to me that boy operates more than a half bubble off plumb.

 

I’m Sheena, and that’s your Music City Minute.

"When I'm done, I can rest in peace knowing I've done my best. I hope that when my time comes, I'll leave something behind that others can use to lift themselves up."

 

For many fans in Colorado, Dolly Parton has always felt like family. Her heartfelt storytelling in beloved songs like “Jolene,” “Coat of Many Colors”  and “I Will Always Love You” have been the soundtrack to road trips through the Rockies, family gatherings, and countless moments shared around the radio. Colorado audiences have welcomed her throughout the years, from her appearances at the Denver Coliseum and Ebbets Field in 1974, Ebbets Field and Regis College Fieldhouse in 1977, Denver’s Carousel Ball in 1981, McNichols Sports Arena in 1985 and again with Kenny Rogers in 1986. More recently, fans packed Red Rocks Amphitheatre on July 27, 2016, for a sold-out stop on her Pure & Simple Tour, creating one of the most memorable country music nights in the venue’s history. Beyond the stage, Dolly’s impact can be felt across Colorado through her Imagination Library program, which helps provide free books to children and encourages a lifelong love of reading. That commitment to education and literacy has touched families throughout communities across the state, making her influence far greater than music alone. Whether you were lucky enough to see her under the stars at Red Rocks or simply grew up hearing her songs on 98.5 KYGO-FM, Dolly’s legacy will forever shine through her music, her generosity and her unwavering belief in the power of education.

 

I'm Sheena, and that's your Music City Minute.

Boy howdy, someone call the fire brigade, because Miranda Lambert set the stage on fire at Sturgis. I heard tell that the Triple Crown  ACM winner’s performance charmed the fringe off the leather-clad audience at the 86th annual motorcycle rally in South Dakota. Fans rocked-out to a full throttle set, which included gut-punch bangers such as "Kerosene," "White Liar," and "Gunpowder & Lead." Now, the Texas tornado must have been aware of the rally’s unwritten rule: go big or go home, because all night, the savvy songstress had pair of bedazzled aces stuffed up her sleeve. In an unforgettable moment, Lambert finally showed her hand when she invited Lainey Wilson and Gretchen Wilson on stage perform "Drunk (And I Don’t Wanna Go Home)" and, perhaps, the loudest rendition of "Redneck Woman" the legendary rally has ever heard. Talk about an incredible show that honestly has me a little twisted-up because I missed it.

 

I’m Sheena, and that’s your Music City Minute.